Washing machine



Nov. 14, 1939. w ALTORFER 2,180,186

WASHING MACHINE Filed June 3, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet l buzz Tuna.

ATIYE.

Nov. 14, 1939.

WASHING MACHINE FiledJune 5, 1936 '4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Arr-r5.

A. w ALTORFER 2,180,186

Nov. 14, 1939. A. WALTQ RFER 2,180,186

WASHING MACHINE Filed June 3, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Nov. 14, 1939. A. w. ALTORFER 2,130,186

WASHING MACHINE Filed June 3, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Nov. 14, 1939 UNITED sures rarer oFFicr.

WASHING MACHINE Alpheus W. Altorfer, Peoria, Ill. Application June, a, 1936, Serial No. 83,298

1 Claim.

My invention relates to washing machines and, more particularly, to the construction of the Washing machine chassis.

One of the objects of my invention is in the construction of a unitary washing machine chassis which includes the combining of a stamped metal base member with the driving mechanism and the supporting structure for the tub.

Another object of my invention is in the construction of a washing machine chassis, which comprehends the fashioning of a stamped metal ,base member as the fundamental unit upon which and about which the driving mechanism, supporting structure, washer tub, and supporting standards are adapted to be secured in a unitary manner.

Another object or my invention is in the provision of a stamped metal base which forms not only the cover for the gearing, but also, through its attachment to a skirt member, actually forms a unitary chassis upon which the remaining conventional portions of the washer are secured.

Another object of my invention is in the particular fashioning of a base member which forms the cover for the gear mechanism, the support for the prime mover, the rigid securement and connecting means for the surrounding skirt and also the support and centering means for the tub and agitating mechanism therein.

Yet another object of my invention lies in the construction of a unitary washing machine chassis which includes primarily, a base member forming ;the cover for the gearing, said base member also being so fixed and arranged that when connected to a circular ring or skirt upon which the legs are mounted there is provided a unitary and complete unit upon which the remaining conventional washing machine portions maybe placed or attached with the various driving elements in absolute and unchangeable alignment. g Still another object of my invention resides in the fashioning of a washing machine chassis which includes the securement of a base member 45 to a surrounding ring or skirt, the base member forming a cover and aligning means for the gear case and driving mechanism therein, a support for the prime mover, an auxiliary drain device and a positioning and supporting member for the tub and vertical drive shaft projecting through the bottom thereof, with which the agitating member within the tub is connected.

A further object of my invention is in the construction of a washing machine chassis which includes the attachment of a combined base and gear cover to a surrounding ring and leg attachment member, said base having a bridge member secured thereto in a manner to insure the proper placement of the tub on the chassis and the alignment of the vertical agitator drive shaft with the 5 washing machine tub, as well as the sealing of the tub on the washer chassis.

Other objects of my invention will appear in the following specification when taken in connection with the annexed drawings, in which: 10

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional View showing the general arrangement of parts;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the washing ma chine chassis with the tub removed; 7 Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the chassis shown 15 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detailed plan of the prime mover and gearing;

Fig. 5 is an elevational view partially in section taken on the line 5-5 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of one of 20 the roller casters;

Fig. '7 is a sectional elevational view of parts shown in Fig, 6;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on lines 8-8 of Fig. '7.

Before referring specifically to the various views in the drawings it might be well to state that the construction of the washer chassis shown in the drawings represents actually a nationally known washing machine which is now in large 30 production.

The features of this invention which are believed to be novel and patentable lend themselves to the construction of a washing machine of a sturdy and durable nature. The patent art relating to washing machines and the trade washers illustrates clearly that all companies have utilized substantially the same chassis construction and method of assembly for many years.

The limits from a production standpoint made necessary by old methods have been entirely done away with in the present construction and method of assembly of a washing machine chassis. I

Even a cursory consideration of the drawings will indicate that in over-all appearance applicants machine conforms to general and accepted standards. It has atub in which the agitator is located, the tub is supported in an elevated position by means of legs, the drive and gearing mechanism are located beneath the tub and the wringer and wringer drive assume a position in appearance similar to the products of other companies.

In this application it is expected to point out specifically those features of applicants invention which distinguish this machine in construction and manner of assembly from other types of washers, which at first glance might seem to be somewhat similar.

The effort and expense that applicants company has gone to in creating this sturdy washer chassis has been great, but the peculiar fashioning of its stamped metal base and its ready assembly with the remaining portions of the washer have proven beyond any doubt its advantage over standard washing machine construction methods. 1

Now, referring specifically to the drawings, we find in Fig. 2 perhaps the clearest picture of applicants unitary washer chassis. The base I!) obviously forms the unit about which and upon which the various washer elements are secured. Tlus base is formed by a stamping operation from a single sheet of metal. It is not believed necessary to set forth the various and several stamping operations because the perspective View in Fig. 2 alone gives a very complete and clear picture of same. The base I0 is formed to provide a cover I! for the gear and driving mechanism. Portions of the base are struck downwardly to form dual supports |2 for the prime mover, in this instance the conventional electric motor. That portion of the base surrounding the cover I I is apertiu'ed in a plural manner to receive bolt members IS. The base is further apertured in a plural manner as at M to provide drain openings for any liquid that might collect thereon. The base is obviously of extended proportion and on either side it provides enlarged attachment surfaces l5 and it.

A cylindrical skirt or ring I! entirely surrounds the base Ifl. It being noted, however, that the base is of such a proportion as to substantially fill the aforementioned ring ll. Means for securing the base it) to the skirt I! is provided in the dual inward projections or shelves I8 and I9. These shelves are welded or bolted to the inner side of the ring ll. Rubber tub bumpers are shown on the shelves at I9. As a matter of fact, the welded connection has been found just as satisfactory as the plural bolted connection. The spring i1 obviously is originally completed by means of a welding operation prior to the attachment thereto of the shelves and base member. The ring ll is cut away as shown in several of the figures to permit lateral extension of the cover it for the gear case, as well as a support for the wringer column.

Plural leg portions 20 may be attached to the ring I! by bolts or preferably secured thereto by a welding operation. In any event, the securement of the base if] to the shelves l8 and I9 which in turn are welded to the ring, results in a rigid and sturdy washing machine chassis supported upon securely attached legs 2|].

Intermediate shelves l8 and i9 permit relative adjustment of the base and skirt to accommodate tubs of different sizes without changing in any way the gear and drive mechanism for the washer. With the integrally formed base I0 secured to the ring I! it is obviously now a simple matter to secure the gear and drive mechanism to said plate, by means of bolts I3.

In Fig. 4 of the drawings the gear and driving mechanism has been shown in large detail. The lower gear case 2| contains therein the following driving mechanism: A worm 22 is supported in suitable bearings 23 and 24 in the gear case.

A worm adjustment means of conventional construction is shown at 25. The worm 22 meshes with worm gear 25. The worm gear is rotatable about stub shaft 2? supported at its lower end in a bearing 23, formed in the lower portion of the gear case 2|. The upper end of the stub shaft 27 is carried in a bearing 29 which forms a part of a casting or plate 30 bolted to the cover H in the plural manner shown at 3|. An eccentric 32 overlies the worm gear 26 in a conventional manner and surrounding same we find an eccentric strap 33 forming a part of the conecting rod 34. Connecting rod 34 is pivotally connected as at 35 to segment gear 36 which in turn is pivoted at 31 upon a stub shaft 38 secured in the lower part of gear case 2|, as shown at 39. Segment gear 36 meshes with pinion 40, which in turn is keyed as at A! to a vertically disposed agitator shaft 42. Agitator shaft 42 finds a lower bearing support 53 in gear case 2|. A second bearing support in the cover H on base it is shown. at 43. It is noted that with this second bearing support that the vertical agitator shaft is supported in a dual manner and when connected with the above described gearing and drive portions projects in a vertical manner, as shown in Fig. 2, above the base l0 and connecting ring ll.

Means for clutching the eccentric 32 to the worm gear 26 is found in the following mechanism: Clutch collar 44 has a depending lug 45 passing through the eccentric 32 and capable of engagement with an aperture 46 in the worm gear. Upward and downward movement of the clutch collar 44 is accomplished by means of a manually operated handle 47 which actuates the vertical pin 38, the lower end of which is secured to collar 49 in a circumferential groove formed in the aforementioned clutch portion 44. A coil spring 50 tends to hold the clutch members in an engaged position.

Although the driving and gear mechanism herein shown and the clutch system controlling same has been described in considerable detail, nevertheless, as far as this construction is concerned, same is entirely conventional and as far as applicants invention is concerned, any suitable type of driving and gear mechanism might just as well be used to provide the results desired; i. e., to effect continuous rotation of the stub shaft 21 and reciprocation of the vertical agitator shaft.

A clutch collar 5| is secured to the upper end of the stub shaft 21 which controls the wringer operation. A power leg 52 is secured to the gear case 2| at 53. This leg conforms to the shape and design of the aforementioned legs and differs only in that it is connected to the extended portion of the gear case and not to the ring l1.

Braces 54 may be provided at points adjacent to the lower end of the legs for the purpose of additional strength and rigidity, although in practice the mere welding of the legs to the ring I! has been found entirely satisfactory.

Bridging the upper side of the base I0 is a laterally disposed member 55. This bridge is either bolted to or preferably welded to the base in the plural manner shown at 56. This bridge is apertured in the manner shown at 5'! to permit projection therethrough of the vertical drive shaft 42.

It will be noted that the description of parts heretofore given actually describe a washing machine chassis of the type shown in detail in the perspective view of Fig. 2 of the drawings. With swung in an adjustable manner.

the chassis in the rigidly assembled condition therein shown and heretofore described it is obviously an easyv manner to secure the electric motor 56 to the before mentioned depending brackets l2 struck downwardly from the base Ill. The means for securing the electric motor to the depending portions l2 includes dual brackets 5'! which have clamp members 58 at their lower ends in which the electric motor is secured or A flexible connection 59 of conventional design secures the motor shaft Bil to the projecting end 6! of the worm 22. aligning the electric motor with the worm shaft is accomplished in the quickest and easiest manner possible because of the rigid connection of the gear case with the base and the permittedadjustability of the electric motor with the base.

It will be further noted that with the parts arranged and assembled in the manner here before described that the chassis disclosed in Fig.2 represents a rigid arrangement of the supporting and driving mechanism, without any possibility of wear upon any of the moving parts due to flexing or loosening of any portion of the washer, which has always occurred in washing machines assembled and constructed in the previously well known manner. I

With the washing machine chassis assembled,

as shown in Fig. 2, it is obviously a very simple manner to place the tub 62 upon the chassis with the vertical shaft projecting through an opening 67 is threaded to the lower end 66 of the tube 63 and operates to clamp the tub, sealing plate and bridge 55 securely together. Tub 62 may be of any desired shape or form and, as a matter of fact, although the ring I! has been described herein as circular, obviously there might be many variations in form without departing in the least from the theory underlying the present invention.

An agitator 68 is removably secured upon the splined upper end 69 of the vertical agitator shaft. agitator member might just as well be used without departing in the least from the method of assembly herein shown and described.

A wringer column 10 of conventional design is secured as at H to the upper portion of tub 62, the lower end of said tube overlying the before described plate or casting '30. A wringer shaft 12 mates at its lower end 13 with the clutch collar 5|. Upon the upper end of wringer column H1 is rotatably and reversibly positioned a wringer 14, which may assume any shape, design, or character desired, inasmuch assame, as far as this invention is concerned, merely assumes its normal and natural position upon the washer. The wringer is obviously shown to be removably associated with the wringer column.

In several of the figures of the drawings the details of the castermechanism for the legs have been shown. The legs are shaped in an outwardly projecting manner 15 at their lower end It will thus be noted that the manner of Similarly, any shape, form or design of and the casters 16 are adjustably mounted as at '11 within the leg portions. These casters have an inner safety shield'lll which operate as a protecting means irrespective of the height to which' the casters are adjusted.

Having described my invention in detail I now desire to point out'those features which are of importance when the construction and assembly of parts are concerned.

In the first place the form, shape, and design of the base) is sufliciently unique to accomplish the housing of the gear and driving mechanism A v as well as permitting the ready assembly of the gear case and driving mechanism with this housing in a manner to definitely and finally alignv the parts, as well as holding them forever in a fixed position, which they should and must assume if the washer is to enjoy long life. This peculiar base In provides a support and cover for the prime mover. Its shape permits absolute draining of any accumulation of water or other liquid. The connection of the base through the intermediate ledges with the ring I! results not only in a vibrationless'device, but also a chassis of such rigidity as has never been known or appreciated in the washing machine industry. The ease of assembling the base upon the ring and the attachment of the gear case and driving mechanism upon the base is so apparent as to obviate description. The attachment of the bridge 55 upon the base is eil'ected so readily and its position in combination with the base to receive the tub and sealing mechanism is so easily understood that it is believed one will appreciate the advantages and saving of expense in assembly that the'heretofore described mechanism permits.

To describe in detail the actual sealing of the column to the tub and bridge and the assembly of the wringer column and driving mechanism therefor would be an obvious surplusage. Applicants facility of assembly is based primarily upon the novel construction and rigid disposition of parts in the washing machine chassis.

After these parts have been arranged the mere attachment of the other necessary washer parts,

such as tub, wringer column, and wringer, is easily eifected without change in any way of the chassis itself.

What I claim is: 1 I

A washing machine including a base skirt ring, supporting brackets attached to the inside of said ring, a lower gear case housing drive mechanism,

a sheet metal gear case cover shaped to cover said lower gear case and then extending upwardly and outwardly to provide substantially horizontal portions in position parallel with the'supporting brackets attached to the inside of the ring, means connecting the parallel portions of the brackets and gear case cover, means connecting the lower gear case and cover, a motor secured to and supported by the gear case cover,- 

